I am tackling subjects that need words but kids often don't have them and parents are often to involved emotionally to help. This month I have studied (motivated by ReFoReMo!) a myriad of texts on divorce, death, grandparents and tried to find books on homelessness, hunger, hospice, miscarriage. Lots of lack of understanding of kids eye view and skating over the messier bits adults don't like. And I have completed writing:

on divorce - the process, not the "I have two happy homes" outcomeThe day the animals arrived
When we were all human

death - loss does not end when the funeral is over
Grandma's Mincemeat Pie

Homelessness - questions with no answers
Homeless. Hungry. Help.

Hunger
First Thursday is Pantry Day

In the works
divorce - How can this not be about me?
death - Grown ups say funny things at funerals
Alzheimer's - is he still grandpa
miscarriage - everyone is sad - what happened

Friday, March 11, 2016

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

There are a lot of books out there! The ReFoReMo collects useful texts from the mounds of sludge - that somehow got published! My list of the library reserves is lengthy again....

This week I looked at books on divorce - a much more common experience for young children than family death. Every single one I saw began after the family messiness was over! Two homes were established with cute rooms, favorite toys, fun fun fun with each parent every day. No remarriage or new siblings. No desire to be together on holidays. No weird parental behavior. Gaps to be filed with reality!

In Iowa I polled the grandblessings about favorite picture books. The 9 year old loves Patricia Polacco and the 6 year old gave me some great books just pulled off the shelf. They both loved Moo! by David LaRochelle. I'll read that to the Headstart kids next week and see if they are as excited!

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Knowing that the last week this month is Holy Week (and I am a clergyperson) and I might be a tad busy, I am jumping in to the reading and analysis.

I am currently working on my own manuscript on a child's view of the death of a grandparent and one on hospice
so my first week is devoted to picture books about loss. Yesterday I looked at 28 titles, all published since 2003.

Yes it was a multi-tissue session! Pictured is Munster, one in a line of beloved missed pets!

The best were Sammy in the Sky by Barbara Walsh (pet) and The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic (mother).

Predictably there is some baaaaaaad stuff - bizarre art, kids who experienced every single reaction that adults predict they will with great speed and easy resolution, books with no emotion and some with too much. The role of God and heaven are all over the place!

I found none on: hospice care, euthanasia for pets, the unusual behavior of adults to the loss, customs and traditions of any culture other than white Protestant Northern American.